My name is Elsie Cruz and I am the current Operations Executive at Starr Industries LLC a NYC based union scaffold and access company. Holding a bachelor's degree in business management from Mercy College and master's degree in construction management from New York University, I possess over 20 years of professional experience within healthcare and construction environments. In my current role, I am responsible for overseeing activities designed to grow the business by building our company's visibility, reputation, client base, and strategic partnerships within the competitive New York construction environment. I also work closely with company leadership on ways to be a full spectrum organization rooted in partnership, collaboration, and inclusivity. While the industry has come a long way to extinguish racism, sexism, harassment, pay inequality and other social injustices there is still much work to be done. I believe making DEI initiatives and programs a key organizational priority is stepping in the right direction.